Rangers Endgame

Chapter 95: Anatomy Study

Rolling hills dotted with wildflowers and vibrant meadows trickling with friendly conversations came into view. Villagers went on with their daily lives as the late afternoon sun cast a golden hue over the landscape, the gentle breeze dancing with the elongated shadows.

Aoi glanced back over her shoulder to see the once looming structures of the Capital now able to fit in the palm of her hand. As she continued following Yakeru, she couldn't help but voice her curiosity.

"Would you mind if I ask what you need my help with?"

He half glanced behind himself. "It'll be easier if I show you."

They continued down the relatively straight path cutting through his small village until they veered off to approach one of the houses. She followed and silently stood just before the wooden steps to the front door as he knocked.

There was muffled shuffling beyond the door before it clicked and swung open. Standing in the doorway was a familiar red-haired woman she'd seen at the Clan Skirmish but hadn't had the chance to introduce herself to.

"I was starting to worry." She said with a relieved smile.

"Sorry, Akari. It took longer than we thought." Yakeru responded somewhat sheepishly as the two embraced.

After a moment, Akari lifted her head up to acknowledge Aoi, her distinct blue hair jogging her memory. "You're the girl who tended to my brother's injuries during the Clan Skirmish, right?"

Aoi smiled, not expecting her to remember her as she felt her chest warm. "I'm Aoi, a D-rank healer," She dipped her head politely. "Your brother has told me much about you. It's very nice to officially meet you, ma'am."

"Likewise, and please, Akari is fine." She waved her hand to diffuse the formal air. She turned to walk back into the house, but not before glancing over at Yakeru. "Aren't you coming in?"

"We have some business outside. We'll be inside afterwards."

"Well, I want to invite her inside now," Akari offered a welcoming smile to Aoi. "Come on in. I'll whip up something to eat for you. I'm sure you went out of your way to get here."

Aoi waved her hands shyly. "Oh no, that's quite alright. I wouldn't want to inconvenience you."

"Not at all. And I'd like to show my appreciation for looking after this idiot." Akari shot Yakeru an accusing look.

Aoi stifled a giggle behind her hand. "If you insist. Pardon my intrusion."

With an annoyed sigh, Yakeru followed his sister inside. Aoi walked in behind them as he gestured to one of the seats at their dining table.

"I'm sorry. I imagine you don't have much time to spare." Yakeru said as he rounded the table.

"Fortunately, I'm free until the raid," she responded as she gracefully slid into her seat. "I was planning to train my healing capabilities. Perhaps expand my reserves or improve my focus to heal more grievous injuries."

"You're in luck. We can both get what we want."

As Yakeru kept their guest company, a herbal scent gradually drifted into the room from the kitchen. Akari walked in with plates of steamed potatoes, veggies, and chicken topped with spices. Setting a plate in front of Aoi, her nose filled with its tantalizing aroma.

"So how'd your mission with Itsuki go?" Akari asked, joining them with her own plate.

He went silent, Daichi's betrayal still fresh in his mind. There was still a piece of him berating him for throwing himself into that situation. If he'd only paid heed to his instincts, Itsuki wouldn't have gotten hurt.

"Yakeru?"

He was pulled out of his thoughts before they reignited his lingering anger, and realized Akari’s face was growing worried. "It was fine."

Her gaze turned skeptical but she kept silent for their guest's sake. Aoi, however, looked curious to hear more about it and Yakeru obliged, relaying the story while expertly weaving around the gruesome details. On the topic of missions, Aoi happily shared her own experiences both with her own party and with Yakeru's.

After finishing their food and exhausting their stories, Akari collected their dishes.

"Thank you for the meal. It was very filling." Aoi said gratefully.

"Glad you liked it." Akari replied as she set the dishes in the sink.

Yakeru pushed his chair out as he stood. "Thanks. We'll be out for a while."

Removing his armor, Yakeru began to lead Aoi to the door when Akari said, "Right, I suppose I should give you two some alone time." Her suggestive tone insinuated a different meaning.

His lips tightened in embarrassment and he discreetly shot Aoi a glance. Fortunately, she seemed too oblivious to truly register his sister's words.

Once outside, he guided her to a relatively open grassy plain and instructed her to be on standby.

"So, you want me to...?" Aoi trailed off in confusion.

"You remember my fight with Kane, correct?" Yakeru asked rhetorically as he stretched his sides and legs.

As Aoi watched him loosen up, her eyes gradually grew wide with concern. "You're not implying what I think you are, are you? Yakeru, that form caused you more harm than Kane did. Please reconsider." She said anxiously before he could answer her original question.

"All the more reason to train it. But that's where you come in," he replied, shaking his legs out. "Blitz Step—the self-infusion technique I used initially, before I questioningly decided to infuse my entire body—is too predictable now. But with a talented healer, I could hone it much faster."

She glanced away, failing to hide the embarrassed smile forming on her face. "I don't know about talented..." Her shoulders eased a bit as she shifted her weight to the other leg while crossing her arms over her stomach. "So you're trying to minimize the consequences."

"Exactly. I won't have to worry about getting hurt while my body adapts."

Her eyes drifted down and over, her lips pursed in consideration. He knew she could never stand seeing people hurt, and yet she was putting herself in a situation where she'd have to watch her friend deliberately injure himself. However, in the process, he'd mold his body into something more resilient in the long term.

She looked back at him with a slightly more determined expression. "Okay, I'll help you on one condition."

He lifted an eyebrow, waiting.

She raised a warning finger at him. "Under no circumstances are you allowed to train self-infusion by yourself and without my supervision. Not until you've reached a comfortable level of proficiency. Only then can I trust that you won't be rushed to the infirmary."

He breathed a light chuckle at the accuracy of her words. "You got it."

She shuffled nervously, her eyes already turning down in regret as he finished his stretches. He ominously remained in a standing position.

"So, how would you like this to work?" She asked for clarification.

Once again, his mind went back to the flaws with Blitz Step. Although it granted the user enhanced speed, it meant nothing if he was against a smart enemy. Even Itsuki mentioned this to him during their training. He first needed to position himself to fire off Blitz Step, resulting in a telegraphed movement and allowing his opponent to counter swiftly.

Which was why he needed to mitigate that movement...or remove it entirely.

"For now, I just need you on standby. There are a few prerequisites I need to learn before anything."

She nodded and drew her wand as she watched carefully.

If he wanted to bypass the physical motion needed to launch himself forward, he needed to understand the muscles responsible for said motion.

Closing his eyes, he concentrated on his lower half and sent steady streams of radiance into the front of his thighs. Sharpening his focus, he instructed his radiance to gently prod at the muscles. The odd tickling sensation made his legs twitch reflexively.

After a minute or so of this, he released his radiance and gave Aoi a pained glance. She understood and wordlessly healed him, relieving him of the growing aches of self-infusion. Thanking her, he resumed his training and trickled radiance into a different muscle group in his legs; rinse and repeat.

Like most, Yakeru had a basic understanding of the human body, but he was no physiologist by any means and couldn't begin to comprehend the intricacies of the muscular system. So his goal was to pinpoint which muscles were responsible for what kind of movement.

After several hours of crude experimentation, both Yakeru and Aoi had finally exhausted their reserves. She not-so-gracefully plopped down to catch her breath.

"That's enough for today," Yakeru said, offering her a cup of water after returning from the house. "Thanks again for your help."

Aoi gratefully accepted. "You really don't have to thank me. This is beneficial for me as well."

Yakeru sat beside her, taking a sip of his own water as a silence fell over them. He didn’t know what to talk about as he only had her here to train, while Aoi began to fidget suddenly.

Trying to ignore the awkward air, she watched the kids play and parents converse in the distance. His village was by no means boisterous or bustling with activity. Instead, it proudly embraced the quiet nature of the countryside.

"Your home is more tranquil than I'm accustomed to." She said, eyes still forward.

He sipped his water again. "And what is it that you're accustomed to?"

"Are you familiar with Hoshi Village?" She asked, hoping he wouldn't be. When he shook his head, a soft smile blossomed onto her sun-kissed face. "Although it doesn't boast the same lively atmosphere as the Capital, it's still very animated. Especially at twilight."

Yakeru lifted a curious eyebrow, tilting his head an inch. "What exactly happens then?"

She leaned back on her hand, her navy hair fluttering in the cool air. "The village was built on terrain that's rich with radiance. At sundown, everyone would trickle out onto the streets to watch it congregate. The night sky would spring to life with dancing rivers of golden hues coupled with twinkling stars that stretched across the velvet canvas of the night…"

She tilted her head back at him, wearing an apologetic look. "Honestly, my description can't do it justice. It truly is an enchanting display of nature," she averted her gaze and shyly tucked a lock of navy hair behind her ear. "Though, it's even moreso with someone special to share it with."

Yakeru smiled at her passion for the phenomenon. "Then you must've had quite the experience watching it with your friends and family."

She went silent, a shred of dejection flashing across her face before quickly trying to hide it behind a forced smile. "Right, of course."

Wood rumbling in the distance turned her attention to a carriage dropping off a family.

"I should get going before it gets too late," she finished her water and handed the cup back to him, then stood.

He stood with her and slipped the cup into his. "Same time tomorrow?"

"I'll be here," she gave a small wave as she lightly jogged to catch the carriage.

Yakeru waited until she stopped beside the coachman, bowing appreciatively before climbing aboard. When the carriage reached the horizon, he walked back to the house where he found Akari sitting on the front steps.

Her cheek rested in her hand, and there was a knowing smirk tugging at her lips. Yakeru glanced behind him, a clear view of the open field, then back at her accusingly.

"Stalking is a new thing for you."

She shrugged lazily. "I didn’t think I’d see the day my baby brother would bring a girl home. Can you really blame my curiosity?” She purposely allowed a teasing note to seep into her voice.

Yakeru rolled his eyes and wordlessly walked past her toward the door.